A Chicken is Not Just a Chicken!

Falcipennis canadensis

The day I stumbled upon the Spruce Grouse, also known as the Canada Grouse, I was captivated.... perhaps it is more that I am a fan of red and whenever I see something red, I have to stop and look.

I have lived here for 20+ years, and not once had I seen a male in this species of grouse, especially so up close and personal; I did not have my camera with me, but quickly ran home to retrieve it and to my luck, it was still there!

The colouring of the male, as shown in these photos, is really stunning to see. A pretty charcoal gray with white, black and red!

The colouring of the females is a morph between chestnut and gray. Whether or not I have actually seen a female Spruce Grouse is debatable because to be honest, I have not paid that close attention to the wild chickens roaming our yard, and because the females species of both the Spruce and Ruffed grouse look very similar. I will have to make it a point to pay more mind to them the next time I see them.

The Spruce Grouse

_{Male Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis)
photo © Heather Johnsgaard}

Habitat

This bird inhabits a large portion of Canada and United States, preferring conifer forests, pines, and muskeg ridden areas.

Excellent with their camouflage, they are quite elusive as they often sit motionless in the trees while observers pass by within just a few feet, often missing sight of them.

The grouse much prefer to choose to walk on the ground or along tree limbs rather than fly.

Being the most silent of all grouse, they do have a few calls which they use in warning of predators, to ward off intruders, and some brooding calls. The males also have such sounds as wing claps, soft drumming, tail swishes and flight whooshes.

Diet

The Spruce Grouse feeds mostly on the needles of spruce and other conifer types. They also forage on the ground consuming new growth on shrubs, insects, snails, fungi, and berries. In the Fall/Autumn, they also consume clay, grit or small stones to help them digest their winter diet of coniferous needles which the gravel helps to break down.

Nesting and Breeding

The nest, made on the ground by the female, is a shallow depression which is lined with feathers, pine needles and leaves, and hidden under dense cover.

The average number of eggs laid is 4-7 eggs per clutch with an incubation period of approximately 20-24 days. The young leave the nest shortly after hatching.

The females breed only once a year starting at age one. Males usually establish a territory at about two years old and are promiscuous.

The Young

While the mother will brood them mostly at night until they are about 3-4 weeks old, the young are able to walk from the nest after about eight hours when they are dry. They find all their own food, consuming a lot of insects, and are able to make short flights at about 6-8 days old. They are fully grown at 10-11 weeks and tend to become fully independent by the time they are about 2.5 to 3 months old.

Fool's Hen

Due to the gentle nature of this bird, it has earned the nickname "fool's hen" because, relying on its camouflage and quiet and motionless nature, it allows predators to approach it very closely before it makes it's escape and flies away.

_{Male Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis)
photo © Heather Johnsgaard}